


Miscommunication

by ZephiraZ



Category: Dragon Quest Builders (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-28 05:44:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20773517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZephiraZ/pseuds/ZephiraZ
Summary: Malroth and his Builder are very, very bad at communicating.





	Miscommunication

**Author's Note:**

> I've been posting small scenarios to discord, but realized there were only three fics here tagged for Male Builder/Malroth. So, time to rectify that.

"You know Kane, now that we don't have to worry about attacks from Hargon or saving the world anymore, you don't need me following you around all the time. You can use the Resident's Register to remove me from your party. I'll go anywhere you want!"

Kane's heart dropped. Why would he ever want to be away from Malroth? But if that's what Malroth wanted... "Oh, right. Um. Well, I made you that nice place in Green Gardens, you could go there, if you want..."

For once, the Builder couldn't read Malroth's expression. "Right. Green Gardens. Okay. I'll be seeing you, I guess." With that, Malroth turned and headed off on his own.

A whole lonesome week went by. Kane passed the time working on infrastructure between the island's various settlements, but he found no joy in it. Without Malroth there looking over his shoulder, asking questions, or accidentally breaking stuff, it felt more like a chore than anything. After some time he felt he couldn't take it anymore. He threw down his tools, kicked over the blocks he'd been working on, and stomped off to his private workshop.

Why hadn't he just asked Malroth to stay? Why hadn't he asked why Malroth wanted to leave in the first place? Perhaps the same reason he couldn't explain himself in Moonbrooke. Whenever he needed them most, words failed him.

As Kane stewed in his frustrations, his eyes roamed over the cramped workshop. He'd never gotten around to replacing the dirt floor, nor adding any windows. All his workstations were crammed together, surrounded by a pile of chests containing souvenirs from their adventurers. The most recent chest, that from Moonbrooke, was shoved into a corner and locked shut.

Moonbrooke. It had all started with that bloody mirror.

Struck by a sudden idea, Kane made for that chest. He pulled a key from his pocket and fumbled with the lock, hands shaking with nerves. Once open, he retrieved a single item; the Mirror of Ra. He didn't bother looking into it, but tucked it under his arm and rushed out of the workshop. In the plaza outside stood a tree stump, the perfect size for his task. He set the mirror atop the stump, centered it just right, then took a step back. He hefted the mallet that rested across his back, and for the first time in days, the Builder smiled.   
Kane raised the mallet high above his head, then swung down with all of his might.

As soon as steel struck glass the mallet bounced back in two parts; the head flew off into the distance, and the handle smacked Kane in the face. The force of impact knocked him flat on his back. There he lay, spots in his eyes and his ears ringing, tears welling in his eyes. Not from pain, but rather sheer frustration.

When the ringing finally subsided, he could hear someone calling his name, hands upon his shoulders. Someone was lifting him up to sit straight, pressing something soft and moist against his forehead.   
No, not moist. Was that...blood?   
Kane blinked the spots from his eyes. Blurred shadows sharpened and resolved into the form of Malroth, sitting in front of him, a look of anguish on his face.

“Malroth? What’re you doin’?” Kane mumbled.

“The hell do you think I’m doing?!” Malroth responded. “I swear, whenever I take my eyes off you I find you in a pool of your own blood!”

“Uh…” was all Kane could manage. Blood? He didn’t see any blood- until Malroth pulled his hand back, clutching a cloth soaked red. Malroth quickly replaced the cloth with another lined in medicinal herbs, and pressed this fresh cloth to Kane’s forehead. This time, Kane hissed through his teeth when he felt the sting.

“What’re you doing with that mirror out, anyway?”

Oh, right. That. Kane glanced past Malroth, but saw the Mirror of Ra sitting untarnished and entirely undamaged on the stump. Not a scratch on it. Kane scowled at the offending mirror; of all the frustrations and injustices he’d endured, this was the worst.

“Well, the thing’s obviously broken, yeah? So- So I tried to smash it. It’s useless anyway.” Kane said. Malroth tilted his head in confusion, and the Builder broke. “I didn’t mean for it to happen like that, the first time! It was supposed to reflect how I saw you! Everyone could’ve seen the man I loved, and finally trust you, and stop trying to take you- to take you from me-” Kane sobbed, unable to continue.

After a tense moment, Malroth stood. Kane flinched and looked to the ground, unable to watch his best friend walk away a second time.

But the harsh sound of steel striking steel and glass shattering shocked him from his sorrow. Kane looked up in time to see Malroth slinging his mallet back over his shoulder. The lord of destruction plopped back down before Kane, the ground behind him littered with broken glass and shards of twisted metal.

“What-”

“I’ve always said when something hurts you I’ll smash it to bits, didn’t I? It’s just a bit hard when that thing is me,” Malroth said with a sheepish grin. Kane couldn’t help but smile back; no matter the situation, breaking things always cheered Malroth up, and watching him break things always made Kane happy.

But then Kane remembered how they came to be sitting here in the first place, and he quickly averted his gaze.

"Hey, Kane…” Malroth ventured, an uncharacteristic hesitance in his voice. “How come you’ve been avoiding me lately, huh?”

“Avoiding you? I haven’t been…” Kane stopped, uncertain. He’d been so caught up in feeling sorry for himself and moping, the last few days had just blurred together. “Have I?”

“Well you sent me packing soon as we got back from fighting old fish-face, and you kept mostly to yourself. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me…”

“You- Wait, what? You said you didn’t want to follow me around all the time anymore. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me!"

“Well no, not at all! Just, after everything you went through in Malhalla, surrounded by some weird version of me constantly tryin’ to off you, I figured you might’ve wanted some space, is all.”

“Malroth, I literally went through hell to get you back. You really think I’d want to give you up after all of that?”

Malroth snorted, then threw his head back in laughter. Despite their predicament, hearing it still warmed the Builder’s’ heart. “Alright, alright, I get it. We’re absolute shit at communicating, and both wanted the same thing, but we’re both too stupid to figure it out. That sound about right?”

Slowly, Kane allowed himself a smile. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“So whadd’ya say I get you inside and get you patched up, huh? Then we can go together to fix up all those silly dirt walls you’ve been layin’ down, yeah?”

“Yeah. I’d like that. Thank you, Malroth.”


End file.
